Chinese Firm Close to Winning River Revitalization Project

China Communications offered 605.5 million Br for river rehabilitation work

A partial view of the future Orma Garage-Afenchober public recreational park to be constructed by the Addis Abeba Rivers, Riversides Development Project Office.

China Communications Construction Company Ltd edged closer to undertaking construction and restoration work along the BantyaketuRiver, stretching from UrmaGarage toAfincho Ber, in Addis Abeba.

China Communications gave the lowest offer of 605.5 million Br for the project, which encompasses the construction and installation of recreational and business centres, landscaping, bridges, ponds, walkways and parks on land comprising almost 50ha. In addition to alleviating the effects of floods and cleaning the river, indigenous trees will be planted along the banks of the river that stretches for 4.4Km and covers 12.8ha of land.

Twenty-one companies showed interest by purchasing bid documents to refurbish the citywide riverside landscaping and recreational project when it was floated on June 21, 2018. The financial bid opening for the project was held on the premises of the lead agency, Rivers & Riversides Development Project Office, last Wednesday in Gurd Sholla.

Four out of seven companies that submitted bids a local company Rama Construction Plc, China Wuyi Construction, China Railway Seventh Group Construction Co. and Grampion Building Group did not pass the technical evaluation phase. China Communications made the lowest offer, while China JiangXi International Economic & Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd’s bid stood at 943.4 million Br, and China JiangSu Economic & Technical Cooperation Group made an offer of 1.3 billion Br.

China Communications has 13 years of experience engaged in infrastructure projects in Ethiopia, including the expansion of the Bole International Airport, the construction of the Addis Adama Expressway and the construction of Bole Ring Road.

The project office, established three years ago, has also hired Blue Matrix and Image Consultancy to supervise the project at a cost of 10.2 million Br.

Image Consultancy has been in business for half a decade and has experience constructing the Gimbi Town’s Landslide Assessment Project, the Erer Water Supply Project in the City of Harrar, landscaping design work in the FerensayPark Development and other residential developments.

A study for the project was also carried out by Addis Abeba University, College of Natural Science Centre for Environmental Science at a cost of 34 million Br with a goal to make the city one of the 15 cleanest cities in Africa within seven years.

“The city park project has three phases, and this one is the first,” says Walelign Desalegn, head of the project office. “It starts from Sheraton Addis Hotel and ends up at Eri Bekentubridge.”

The second phase will continue in 2020, extending from Eri Bekentuto Ras Mekonnenbridge around Piassa. The third phase will commence in 2021 and will cover the areas from Ras Mekonnen Bridge to Afincho Ber.

“There is no right of way problems in most of the project areas as properties have been cleared beforehand for the rehabilitation projects,” Walelign told Fortune.

The project office has been engaged in soil conservation work at Entotoand has intervened in urgent flood protection and river bank cleaning and greening work around QebenaandQechene.

Teshome Soromessa (PhD), chairman of the Center for Environmental Science and lecturer at Addis Abeba University, is optimistic about the project but has doubts over how sustainable it is.

“There must be stronger policies and regulations in place and enforcement for leachate [liquid that passes through garbage landfills and has extracted dissolved and suspended matter from it] management,” he said. “There also need to be more awareness creation campaigns.”

The winner of the award will be announced within 10 days of the financial opening, according to Weredekal G.Kirstos, member of the tender committee.